The Best Picture winner for 1958 was *Gigi,* a colorful, amusing musical - - also rather overdone and bloated. Maurice Chevalier doesn't help. One of the other nominees was *Separate Tables,* a black and white drama with strong performances by Rita Hayworth, Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, and Oscar winners David Niven and Wendy Hiller.
Diva: *Gigi*
Mensch: *Separate Tables*
As a little girl of six, I LOVED LOVED LOVED Gigi and made my parents buy me the LP. Maurice Chevalier singing “Thank heaven for little girls” was a balm for my soul, especially since I was basically being tortured by nuns every day at St. Bernadette’s School!